UNITED NATIONS, June 20. /TASS/. Russia shares the United Nations secretary general’s position that it is necessary to avoid the internationalization of the conflict between Israel and Iran, Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya said.
"We observe extremely dangerous attempts to drag third countries into the confrontation. <…> We share the secretary general’s position that the internationalization of the conflict must be avoided," he said at an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on the escalation of tensions between Israel and Iran.
"Instead of returning to peaceful negotiations, the only possible way to resolve the Palestinian issue, the Israeli military-political leadership opted to raise the stakes and expand the geography of the conflict in the region," he said. "Probably, West Jerusalem is seeking to distract the global community’s attention from its army’s crimes in Gaza and the West Bank."
Overnight into June 13, Israel launched Operation Rising Lion targeting Iran’s nuclear program. Iran responded in less than 24 hours. Since then, Tel Aviv and Tehran have been exchanging strikes. Both parties reported casualties and damage, and admitted that a number of facilities had been hit.